The PMM was designed to eliminate the major drawbacks of the Makarov pistol as a sidearm for officers of Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies, such as the insufficient power of 9x18 mm cartridges and magazine capacity.
To solve these problems, a higher power 9x18 mm cartridge was developed, as well as a double-stack 12-round magazine.
The use of a more powerful cartridge resulted in the use of a slightly stronger frame, slide and chamber, and a more ergonomic grip.
The upgraded version of the Makarov pistol retained all of its inherent advantages, such as a simple and reliable blowback-operated automatics, double action trigger with an open hammer and so on.
